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| They call it sugar sand. It squeaks under your feet. |
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| It reminded me of my old home in Tamaqua PA |
February 6th was my 73rd birthday. Lulu asked me what did I want. I said I just wanted to pack one little bag - get in the car - and drive west. We would find a place and spend 3 nights in a hotel. We would drive - eat - sleep - shop - see touristy stuff - and walk the beach. I can have anything I want if I just include "walk the beach" in the sentence for Lulu.
At 9am - we hopped into the car - leaving the camper at home - and drove west. The weather was not great - it looked like rain. But the road felt good under our seats. We quickly crossed over the time zone line and were in Central Time. We had an hour to live over again. If we drove fast enough - we could get there before we left Tallahassee :-)
Online Lulu searched for a hotel bargain. She found an Embassy Suite Hotel along the beach right next to the famous Destin Outlets. So she conveniently lined up two things she wanted on my birthday - beach and shop. We each have had both of our covid shots - but we still wore masks - stayed away from crowds - and washed our hands.
Our Embassy Suite was very nice - but only about 10% full. From our second floor suite we could see the beach. We had a kitchenette and separate living room. During regular times this would be $300 a night - but during covid times - it was $120 a night. It included free drinks and free breakfast. It had a heated pool and a big hot tub. It also had a private beach - what the heck is a private beach. It turns out it was a gate with a code to pass through.
We had our first lunch at the Surf Hut - right by our hotel. Tables were spaced wide and outside if your wanted.
On Day 2 - Super Bowl Sunday - it was sunny - but the high was 60. We went to Seaside - a village built in 1988 to resemble a turn of the century beach colony. It is world famous with brick streets and cottages that cost millions. Its beach is beautiful - with white sand - and clear water.
Day 3 - was Monday and Lulu wanted to shop. There were very few shoppers and while she did that I drove to a favorite of mine - the Eglin Air Force Base Museum. I have been there before - it is free - and has some wonderful displays. This is the base where they trained for Jimmy Doolittle's raid on Tokyo in April 1942. I will do a separate story about the museum.
Day 4 - we walked the beach and swam. at 11am we left for home. We stopped in Defuniak Springs to look at an Airstream trailer. After that - while Lulu took a nap - I drove home on I-10.
We had two days with some rain - and two sunny but cooler days up to 65. We enjoyed some hotel time - we have not done that in a while with covid. I hate to see something like that big beautiful hotel going to waste. We got home by 5pm - and guess what - I was still 73. Time marches on to our next adventure.
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| Note the sun roof - for sun bathing |
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| The white clean sand made the best castles |
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| Miramar Beach FL |
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| Always - Lulu says - I could drive to here from work |
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| Our hotel offered wedding setting on the beach |
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This ice cream store was the only store here
in 1988 when my sons were here |
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| Post Office Seaside |
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| General Store Seaside |
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| Downtown Seaside |
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| Airstream trailer food truck - Seaside |
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| Dunes of the turtles |
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| We did not crash this Super Bowl party |
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| Those steps probably cost more than my home |
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| Remote control and a tiny easel |
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| I had a remote button - why do I hold it up? |
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| It was low 60s - but people were bundled |
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| Married June 24 - 1971 - the newly weds at Seaside FL |
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| The town center at Seaside - remember the movie Truman Show |
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| The red spot is the bar where we had free drinks |
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| The view of the hotel atrium from our suite |
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| Lulu having lunch at the Surf Hut |
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